Is Celebrity Photographer Tyler Shields Copying Other Artists?

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2010. Right photo: Terry Richardson, 2005

by Maria Sofou

Tyler Shields, often referred to as “Hollywood’s favorite photographer,” is an extremely successful photographer that has shot a number of celebrities and his work has been exhibited in galleries around the world.

However, according to VICE editor Jamie Lee Curtis Taete, his level of success is surprising given that anyone with even a tiny knowledge of the history of photography would find a lot of his photographs to look an awful lot like others!

To prove his point, Taete gathered a series of photographs captured by Shields and put them next to other works in order to reveal the resemblance. We’re not taking a side on this, we’re letting you decide.. What do you think? Is Tyler Shields inspired by other artists or he is just stealing their work?

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2011. Right photo: Guy Bourdin, 1979

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2015. Right photo, Henry Leutwyler 2012

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2014. Right photo: Sally Mann, 1989

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2014. Right photo: Helmut Newton, 1982

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2014. Right photo: Diane Arbus, 1966

Left photo: Tyler Shields, 2015. Right photo: Irving Penn, 1986

Left photos: Tyler Shields, 2009. Right screencaps: Stills from Moby’s “We Are All Made of Stars” video, 2002.